| Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry. 1920. |
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| Anthony C. Deane. 1870– |
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| 74. A Rustic Song |
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| OH, I be vun of the useful troibe | |
| O' rustic volk, I be; | |
| And writin' gennelmen dü descroibe | |
| The doin's o' such as we; | |
| I don't knaw mooch o' corliflower plants, | 5 |
| I can't tell 'oes from trowels, | |
| But 'ear me mix ma consonants, | |
| An' moodle oop all ma vowels! | |
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| I talks in a wunnerful dialect | |
| That vew can hunderstand, | 10 |
| 'Tis Yorkshire-Zummerzet, I expect, | |
| With a dash o' the Oirish brand; | |
| Sometimes a bloomin' flower of speech | |
| I picks from Cockney spots, | |
| And when releegious truths I teach, | 15 |
| Obsairve ma richt gude Scots! | |
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| In most of the bukes, 'twas once the case | |
| I 'adn't got much to do, | |
| I blessed the 'eroine's purty face, | |
| An' I seëd the 'ero through; | 20 |
| But now, I'm juist a pairsonage! | |
| A power o' bukes there be | |
| Which from the start to the very last page | |
| Entoirely deal with me! | |
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| The wit or the point o' what I spakes | 25 |
| Ye've got to find if ye can; | |
| A wunnerful difference spellin' makes | |
| In the 'ands of a competent man! | |
| I mayn't knaw mooch o' corliflower plants, | |
| I mayn't knaw 'oes from trowels, | 30 |
| But I does ma wark, if ma consonants | |
| Be properly mixed with ma vowels! | |
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